Newport News man says killing was self defense

Pringle testified Wednesday that his life was in danger when he pulled the trigger May 10.

"It could have been me or him that day," he said.

Pringle testified during the second day of his murder trial in Newport News Circuit Court. A jury received the case Wednesday afternoon and deliberated for two hours before deciding to break for the evening. Deliberations will continue Thursday morning.

Pringle, of Newport News, is charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Pringle turned himself in to police two days after the shooting and told a detective he shot Fredrick in self defense.

"I wanted to give the family closure and I wanted to correct the situation," Pringle testified.

Pringle said he was at Colony Square the night of the fatal shooting to visit a female friend. At the apartment complex, he said, he was approached by Pretrickson Fredrick's cousin, Stevon Fredrick.

"Stevon kept looking at me. Then he was like, 'There is that [expletive]. Go get my strap,'" Pringle said.

Pringle said while his back was turned, Pretrickson Fredrick approached him.

"He started walking up on me," Pringle said. "He reached for his waistband. I was terrified for my life. The only option I had was to shoot in self-defense."

An empty gun was found on Pretrickson Fredrick by medics after the shooting, according to court testimony. He had been drinking the night of the fatal shooting, and had a blood-alcohol content level of 0.23, a forensic scientist testified. The legal limit in Virginia is 0.08.

The fatal shooting was the second time Pringle and Stevon Fredrick had met. The two got into a fight outside Colony Square in April. Stevon Fredrick and Pringle both testified that Fredrick won the brawl, but their testimonies about what caused it differed.

Pringle said that Stevon Fredrick provoked him. Pringle said that as he was going down a set of steps, Fredrick hit him in the back of the head and the two began to fight.

Stevon Fredrick testified that Pringle had attacked one of his friends who was sitting on steps. Fredrick said that when he jumped in to help, they began to fight. He said the fight ended when Pringle's friend pulled out a gun.

Pringle said Stevon Fredrick and his friends told him not to come back to the neighborhood after the April fight. Pringle said he bought a gun for protection two days before he returned to the neighborhood in May.